Tag: Athan Kaliakmanis

Rutgers football officially has a quarterback competition. What does Greg Schiano hope to find?

For Greg Schiano, a quarterback competition is all about finding a way to win.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The arrival of Athan Kalaikmanis this semester to Rutgers football also heralds a quarterback competition for the Big Ten program.

A competition that Rutgers didn’t have last year but badly needed. And in the arrival of Kalaikmanis, the Scarlet Knights now have two quarterbacks with significant starting experience in the Big Ten.

Kaliakmanis comes to Rutgers after two years at Minnesota that showed steady growth. He enters into a quarterback room headlined by Gavin Wimsatt, who started every game last year and led Rutgers to a bowl game.

Wimsatt was named the starter last year before the start of training camp, effectively ending a quarterback competition then and there. He completed 47.8 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,735 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.

He also rushed for 497 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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Now, Rutgers has a competition this spring that could well go into the summer.

“We felt we needed to strengthen our performance of the position and whether it’s with Gavin who played all of last season, brought in someone that we thought could help strengthen it,” head coach Greg Schiano said on Tuesday.

“We also brought in…we have Ajanni Shepherd in the program. And we have a freshman that is starting now (in) AJ Surace (who) has been with us all winter. So we have four scholarship quarterbacks in the program right now and they will compete and we’ll figure out who gives us the best chance to win.”

Kirk Ciarrocca recruited Kaliakmanis when he was the Minnesota offensive coordinator in 2021. The quarterback ended up starting several games during the 2022 season and was the starter last year for Minnesota.

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Ciarrocca is now in his second season as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers.

This past season showed some of the promise in Kaliakmanis. As a sophomore, Kaliakmanis completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Solid numbers in the Big Ten.

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“Well, Kirk obviously has experience with him from the University of Minnesota. So we knew the competitor he is, we knew he has a background in this system,” Schiano said.

“And it just it was a guy that we believe in, and it gives us a chance to create competition and hopefully the cream will rise to the top and we’ll have better quarterback play in ’24 than we did in ’23.”

Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis on joining Rutgers football: ‘I came here to win’

Athan Kaliakmanis talks about joining Rutgers football.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Familiarity with Rutgers football offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca played a role in Athan Kaliakmanis committing to the Scarlet Knights this offseason.

But make no mistakes about it, Kalaikamanis is here to compete and win with Rutgers.

Kaliakmanis transferred to Rutgers in early January, shortly after the Scarlet Knights won the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl over Miami.

In 2023 as a sophomore at Minnesota, Kaliakmanis completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

On Tuesday for the first time since he transferred to Rutgers, Kaliakamanis

“I came here to win, and to do whatever I can to help this team win,” Kaliakmanis said on Tuesday.

“So if that’s me putting my body on the line for my teammates, I’m willing to do it. I’m just willing to do anything I can to help this team win whatever the role that is, whatever the situation is. That’s what I want to do.”

In 2022, Kaliakmanis played well under Kirk Ciarrocca, then the offensive coordinator at Minnesota. As a freshman, he completed 54.1 percent of his passes for 946 yards, with three touchdowns and four interceptions.

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Coming to Rutgers was in large part due to the presence of Ciarrocca on the staff. Last year, Ciarrocca was responsible for a dramatic turnaround of the Rutgers offense.

For much of the past decade, Rutgers has ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in nearly every significant offensive category. Enter Ciarrocca, who made the offense viable in 2023.

“I’m just very fortunate that they were interested when I was in the portal,” Kalaikmanis said.

“You know, the portal can be a scary place. I was very fortunate that a lot of schools (were) interested but very thankful that coach Ciarrocca and coach Schiano (head coach Greg Schiano) were interested in me. But yeah, I mean, our relationship is very, very tight -it was at Minnesota. And just picking his brain, I think he’s a very, very smart coordinator. He’s very intelligent, and I trust him.”

Film Analysis: Can Athan Kaliakmanis start at quarterback for the Scarlet Knights in 2024?

Rutgers football added a Power Five quarterback in Athan Kaliakmanis. Can Kaliakmanis compete for the starting quarterback position in 2024?

Rutgers football added a high-level Power Five quarterback in former Golden Gopher Athan Kaliakmanis this offseason during the transfer portal.

Kaliakmanis has two years of eligibility remaining and will add immediate competition to Rutgers’ quarterback situation for the 2024 season. In high school, he was a three-star recruit out of Antioch, Illinois.

Hehas a connection with the Scarlet Knights, playing for offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca when Ciarrocca was the OC at Minnesota in 2022.

In 12 games this season, Kaliakmanis completed 156-of-294 passes (53.1 percent) for 1,838 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Also, under Ciarrocca in 2022, Kaliakmanis was 60-of-111 passing (54.1 percent) for 946 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.

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Film Study

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-handed quarterback is your standard Big Ten quarterback. His style of play is a bit reminiscent of former Big Ten and four-time NFL Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins.

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Kaliakmanis can make every throw on the field, showing off his strong arm. He is not as mobile as starting quarterback Gavin Wimsatt but has better pocket awareness when feeling the pressure from opposing defenses.

The new Scarlet Knight can make throws on the run and is dangerous in the play-action game. He does an excellent job taking care of the football, throwing the ball away instead of forcing it down the field.

Kaliakmanis, like Wimsatt, needs to work on his accuracy as he develops into a Power Five quarterback. When spring practices arrive this year, look for Kaliakmanis and Wimsatt to have an intense battle for the Rutgers starting quarterback position.

 

Rutgers football transfer portal quarterback commit Athan Kaliakmanis on Kirk Ciarrocca: ‘I have a bond with him and trust him’

Athan Kaliakmanis talks about the Kirk Ciarrocca impact on his commitment to Rutgers.

The commitment of Athan Kaliakmanis last week is a significant offseason addition for Rutgers football. Kaliakmanis, who came to Rutgers out of the transfer portal, has Big Ten experience and will become an important personality in the quarterback room.

Kaliakmanis spent the last two seasons at Minnesota, and he was the Golden Gophers’ starting quarterback all of last season.

He was recruited to Minnesota by Kirk Ciarrocca who was then the offensive coordinator for the Golden Gophers. Ciarrocca joined Rutgers last year and helped turn the Scarlet Knights into a bowl team this past fall.

Kaliakmanis played for Ciarrocca in 2022 where he showed promise as a freshman.

The relationship between Kaliakmanis and Ciarrocca was key in the quarterback picking Rutgers.

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Last week, Rutgers Wire asked Kaliakmanis what impact Ciarrocca had on the decision to join Rutgers.

“A huge role. I have known coach Ciarrocca since I was a sophomore in high school and committed to him pretty much right away,” Kaliakmanis told Rutgers Wire.

“I have a bond with him, and trust him. He is super smart and I cannot wait to work with him again. Coach Schiano and I hit it off from the first moment we met. He is transparent and honest. What really stuck out to me about Coach Schiano is how he feels about his staff and players and how he goes out of his way to make sure you have all the tools you need to succeed.”

Kaliakmanis visited Rutgers in early December. He made his commitment to Rutgers official last week, just days after Rutgers beat Miami 31-24 in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

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Last season was a solid one for, Kaliakmanis, despite Ciarrocca having left the program to join Rutgers. As a sophomore, he completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

“Rutgers checked the boxes for what I was looking for. The two biggest things for me were stability and a seasoned OC for my new home,” Kaliakmanis said.

“Next, was staying in the Big Ten. During my visit, everything felt right. The players, staff, facilities, and the overall vibe throughout the program. The decision was easy.”

 

Athan Kaliakmanis breaks down why he picked Rutgers football: ‘Rutgers checked the boxes…the decision was easy’

Athan Kaliakmanis talks about his Rutgers football commitment.

For Athan Kaliakmanis, the decision to pick Rutgers football ultimately was predicated on his comfort level with the program. Kaliakmanis visited Rutgers in mid-December and the former Big Ten quarterback formally committed to the program this week.

In an interview with Rutgers Wire, he broke down why Rutgers was the ideal place for the next two years of his college career.

Currently a sophomore, Kaliakmanis was solid a season ago for Minnesota in completing 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

He was a three-star recruit coming out of Antioch High School (Antioch, IL) and was a top-10 player in the state according to Rivals.

“Rutgers checked the boxes for what I was looking for. The two biggest things for me were stability and a seasoned OC (offensive coordinator) for my new home,” Kaliakmanis told Rutgers Wire this week.

“Next, was staying in the Big Ten. During my visit, everything felt right. The players, staff, facilities, and the overall vibe throughout the program. The decision was easy.”

The decision was easy for Kaliakmanis but the next step is likely to be challenging.

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Kaliakmanis enters a quarterback room where Gavin Wimsatt made all 13 starts this past season, including a 31-24 Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami. Wimsatt wasn’t perfect, but he did account for 20 total touchdowns (nine passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns) while improving his completion percentage by nearly three points.

There is also a promising true freshman quarterback in Ajanai Sheppard as well as incoming three-star A.J. Surace. There is some exciting potential for Rutgers with Sheppard and Surace.

Asked about the quarterback competition, Kaliakmanis deferred to the big picture facing him right now.

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“My biggest focus right now is getting on campus, getting situated, and getting to work,” Kaliakmanis said.

“I am ready to get coached. Most importantly, be the best teammate and leader that I can be. I am very excited to start this next chapter.”

Rutgers football adds quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the transfer portal…what does it all mean?

Athan Kaliakmanis and Gavin Wimsatt will now battle it out for Rutgers.

On Tuesday, Rutgers football added Athan Kaliakmanis from the transfer portal. The quarterback, who spent the last two years at Minnesota, is experienced and fits the Rutgers offense perfectly.

Why is he such a perfect fit? Well, former Kirk Ciarrocca recruited Kaliakmanis when he was the Minnesota offensive coordinator in 2021. The quarterback ended up starting several games by the 2022 season. Ciarrocca is now the offensive coordinator at Rutgers.

This past season showed some of the promise in Kaliakmanis. As a sophomore, Kaliakmanis completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Solid numbers in the Big Ten.

What does this transfer portal addition mean for Rutgers football? How about incumbent starter Gavin Wimsatt? And where does and can Athan Kaliakmanis fit in at Rutgers?

Scroll down and check out what the Athan Kaliakmanis transfer means for Rutgers football.

Breaking: Rutgers football lands Big Ten quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the transfer portal

Athan Kaliakmanis is joining Rutgers out of the transfer portal.

The competition in the quarterback room just improved for Rutgers football. On Tuesday, Athana Kaliakmanis committed to Rutgers.

Kaliakmanis spent the previous two years at Minnesota, In 2022, he played under offensive coordinator [autotag]Kirk Ciarrocca[/autotag], who now has the same role at Rutgers. The quarterback took an official visit to Rutgers in mid-December.

With the Scarlet Knights, Kaliakmanis steps into an intriguing quarterback room that includes incumbent starter Gavin Wimsatt. Last week, Wimsatt led Rutgers to their first bowl win since 2014, capping off a season where he developmentally took a significant step forward.

This past season at Minnesota, Kaliakmanis finished completing 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His knowledge and understanding of Ciarrocca’s offense adds another dimension to the quarterback room at Rutgers that includes Wimsatt, promising true freshman Ajani Sheppard and incoming three-star quarterback A.J. Surace.

 

Kaliakmanis will be enrolling at Rutgers in January. He is the second big-time get for the Rutgers offense in the transfer portal.

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Also in December, wide receiver Dymere Miller committed to Rutgers out of the transfer portal. In the FCS with Monmouth last year, Miller had 90 catches for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns. In the season opener against FAU, Miller had 10 catches for 78 yards.

Athan Kaliakmanis previews his official visit to Rutgers football

Rutgers football will host Athan Kaliakmanis this weekend on an official visit.

This weekend, Athan Kaliakmanis will take an official visit to Rutgers. The transfer portal quarterback could be a very interesting fit for the Scarlet Knights.

As a sophomore this fall at Minnesota, Kaliakmanis completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is an accomplished and efficient passer who boasts some good athleticism.

Outside of incumbent starter [autotag]Gavin Wimsatt,[/autotag] Rutgers doesn’t have a quarterback on the roster with significant snaps or any starting experience (Evan Simon entered the transfer portal last week and has committed to Temple).

He said there has been no discussion at all with the Rutgers coaching staff about what his role would be were he to join the Scarlet Knights.

“I have not heard anything at all. No matter where I go, I will look to do whatever the team needs me to do,” Kaliakmanis told Rutgers Wire on Friday.

“In choosing my next destination, I want to go somewhere where I will be able to continually grow and contribute.”

Joining him on the trip this weekend is his brother, Dino Kaliakmanis, who was a wide receiver at Minnesota and also recently entered the transfer portal.

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A factor in his official visit this weekend is Kirk Ciarrocca, the Rutgers offensive coordinator. Two years ago it was Ciarrocca, then the offensive coordinator at Minnesota, who recruited Kaliakmanis to the the Golden Gophers.

“My brother and I are very excited to visit. My family has roots there and we still have a lot of extended family in the area. So far, It has been a lot of getting to know one another with the coaches,” Athan Kaliakmanis said.

“I have always had an amazing relationship with coach Ciarrocca. He recruited my brother and I in high school and I was so happy to get the chance to work with him last year. He is super smart, has a great offensive mind, and I respect him a lot.”

As for why he entered the portal, Athan Kaliakmanis was diplomatic in his thoughts on his time at Minnesota.

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The quarterback signaled his intention to leave Minnesota in late November.

“I will always cherish my time at Minnesota and I will truly miss my teammates and friends. So many amazing relationships have been built over the last few years,” Athan Kaliamkanis said.

“It was just time to move forward and I wish everyone there nothing but the best.”

Greg Schiano addresses transfer portal quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis’ visit this weekend

Greg Schiano addresses the visit of Athan Kaliakmanis to Rutgers this weekend.

Athan Kaliakmanis is visiting Rutgers football this weekend, and head coach Greg Schiano is understandably tight-lipped about the circumstances.

A starter the past two years at Minnesota, Kaliakmanis taking a visit to Rutgers is intriguing because of the lack of quarterback depth on the roster outside of incumbent starter Gavin Wimsatt.

Last season as a sophomore,  Kaliakmanis completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards. with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions for Minnesota.

The numbers between Kaliakmanis and Wimsatt are very similar which would be a boost for Rutgers. The only other quarterback on the Rutgers roster this past fall with significant snaps or starting experience, Evan Simon, entered the transfer portal last week.

Schiano was asked on Thursday about Kaliakmanis’ official visit this weekend to Rutgers.

“I’m not allowed to talk about individuals so I won’t but as I’ve said to you guys before, the transfer portal is very real part of college recruiting,” Schiano said.

“The way we use it is to bolster our roster. So if there’s a fit and it’s got to be first of all, it’s got to be a talent for you guys got to be a talented enough player that we believe he can help us win. But that’s not where it stops. It has to be a culture fit. And when you deal (with) the portal, if it’s not a culture fit, it’s a very dangerous thing, because you wouldn’t be bringing the player here if he wasn’t a good player.”

Wimsatt took a significant step forward this past season, showing greater poise and control of the offense. He is a good athlete, who was able to make plays with his feet when the pocket broke down.

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Were Kaliakmanis to commit, Rutgers would be adding a quarterback alongside Wimsatt with significant starting experience in the Big Ten.

Schiano would not dive into any conversations he had with Wimsatt about the transfer portal quarterback visiting.

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“I’m not going get into all the personnel ins and outs…that’s, that’s internal,” Schiano said.

“Right? I communicate with the players – sometimes, they might tell you, I’m too, too brutally honest. But I just – that’s the way I’m transparent with them. I tell them everything. And I expect it to stay between the two of us, you know, and our guys are good like that. But I think they understand how serious that is to me. Trust is everything.”

Kaliakmanis was recruited two years ago to Minnesota by offensive coordinator [autotag]Kirk Ciarrocca[/autotag]. This year was Ciarrocca’s first year back with Rutgers as their offensive coordinator.

Rutgers football: What transfer portal players are set for official visits this weekend?

Four transfer portal targets will be hosted by Rutgers football this weekend.

Along with several high school athletes expected on campus for visits, Rutgers football is scheduled to host four transfer portal players this weekend.

Headling the group is Athan Kaliakmanis, a quarterback who spent the last two years at Minnesota. His connection to Rutgers is through Kirk Ciarrocca, who was his offensive coordinator at Minnesota and recruited him to the program.

Ciarrocca is in his first year as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers.

This season, he completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions for Minnesota. His brother, Dino Kaliakmanis played wide receiver at Minnesota.

Here are the four transfer portal prospects expected for official visits this weekend:

  • Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (Minnesota)
  • Tight end Dino Kaliakmanis
  • Wide receiver Dymere Miller (Monmouth)
  • Offensive guard Kevin Wigenton (Michigan State)

The emphasis of the portal visits this weekend is clearly on the offensive side of the ball. Midweek, however, Rutgers hosted for an official visit Anthony Johnson (Youngstown State), a powerful defensive tackle.

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The success of [autotag]Jaquae Jackson[/autotag], who came from the Division II level and is now a legitimate NFL prospect, should be a selling point for Rutgers in their pursuit of Miller.

This past season, Miller had an impressive 90 catches for 1,295 receiving yards with nine touchdowns for Monmouth.

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Even with the quarterback getting all the hype, the most important visitor this weekend is Wigenton. A former three-star recruit at The Hun School (Princeton, New Jersey), Wigenton has significant experience at Michigan State and has Big Ten size at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds.